Bmw 3 vs Bmw 316: reliability comparison
MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.
Bmw 3
77%
MOT pass rate · 368 vehicles
More reliable
Bmw 316
69%
MOT pass rate · 157,337 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate, the Bmw 3 is the more reliable of the two — 77% pass first time versus 69%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.
Head to head
| Measure | Bmw 3 | Bmw 316 |
|---|---|---|
| MOT pass rate | 77% ✓ | 69% |
| MOT failure rate | 23% ✓ | 31% |
| Faults & advisories per test | 1.7 ✓ | 2.3 |
| Dangerous-fault share | 2% | 1% ✓ |
| Average mileage | 121,700 mi | 124,177 mi |
| Sample size (vehicles) | 368 | 157,337 |
Most common faults
Bmw 3
- Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
Bmw 316
- Oil leak
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
- Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)
- Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)
Reliability FAQ
On MOT pass rate, the Bmw 3 is the more reliable of the two — 77% pass first time versus 69%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.
Full Bmw 3 report Full Bmw 316 report Most reliable cars
Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.